2019 Kawasaki W800 Café Review | MC Commute
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- Опубликовано: 7 окт 2024
- If you couldn’t tell, Kawasaki is on a retro new motorcycle kick. Case in point, its new W800 Café. The 2019 Kawasaki W800 ($9,799) is an ode to the Green Team’s first big-displacement four-stroke streetbike, the W1.
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Released for the 1966 model year, the W1 was coined after popular British bikes at the time, i.e., England’s BSA. Fast-forward to today, and the W800 is the third retro-inspired ride in Kawasaki’s 2019 streetbike lineup following the 2018 release of the Z900RS and Z900RS Café machines.
Over the years Kawasaki offered a remake version with its W650 in Europe and other parts of the world. It also offered a punched-out W800 in Europe. However, for 2019, engineers gave this retro ride a full mechanical makeover while retaining signature pieces and the silhouette that made this bike a knockout in rider’s eyes and on the showroom floor. And the best part? It’s now available in the US.
Its aesthetically pleasing parallel twin engine, with its delicious-looking bevel valvetrain gear, not only sounds the part, but pumps out a steady stream of torque with upwards of 40 pound-feet available from 2,500 rpm. This allows the W800 to squirt off from a stop delivering real acceleration force that you’d expect from a modern bike. From the brakes to the drivetrain, suspension, and LED lighting, it has all been recalibrated to give a truly nostalgic experience, without any of the hassle of maintenance of an old bike.
Tag along for a ride on the W800 Café in this episode of MC Commute and sound off in the comment section below and share with us what you think of this old-school remake.
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I’ve had mine (leftover 2019) for a little over a week. I love how it burbles along at 50mph in 5th at 2800rpms, smooth as silk. A true gentleman’s motorcycle.
I’m looking to buy one how much are you thinking about paying?
@@saj574 I traded in my FZ09 and paid the balance in cash ($4500).
I bought it....it's my 4th Kawasaki and easily my favorite 👍
Brian Jorgensen - I bought the Street version and love it! Lots of fun to ride, look at and listen to. The long stroke air cooled engine is surprisingly torquey.
Rode one this past Aug. I just need to do some sweet talking to the wife to let me get a fifth bike....
You are getting better my friend. This was one of your best reviews in terms of presenting, script, quality etc. good job.
Tal Rasha
Thank you. Appreciate the feedback.
We keep producing these videos with the support of you guys.
Bought it new in the UK 🇬🇧... Wife won't let me keep it in the lounge..! Love the cracks and pops on the way down through the gears. Definitely more suited to the older motorcyclists who ride in a more relaxed manner... 😌 😎 👌
I own one and love it. It wasn't received well in my area of the country and got it for a great price being a 2019 model. Get a lot of looks on it as it is a head turner. Looks even better in person as the tank has a metallic flake that really shines.
Just snagged mine for 7k otd and am in love.
"I love being able to have my head in the air like a dog and lap up all the air and motorcycle sound. I love that."
This guy is hilarious.
Your helmet hair reminds me of Alfalfa from Little Rascals!
Great video, your best one yet! You’re getting really good at this and I enjoy watching your progression, well done sir! 👍🏽
C R, not really. I saw that 1 strand on the top of his hair similar to Alfalfa’s. But his helmet hair does look like Buckwheat’s hair too. Bushy
Thanks coach.
Appreciate the feedback.
It’s what we do huh?
I commute on a w800 about 500kms a week on country and capital city roads and I love it. It’s comfy, fast enough and Handles well. I have emulators up front, hagons on the back and a straight thru exhaust and fuel manager. It’s just about maintenance free - just awesome
He has really made this his own, and he each one is getting better and better!
I will def get this bike. I love that it's made in Japan and all that elegant style. Thanks for this great review.
LOVE this bike. Love retro, especially Kawasaki. Mad Max style!
“Nice, pretty shaft” Man, if I had a dollar...
I just have to say that I love your style of reviewing man, keep the good work.
Love how he's splitting lanes like it's nothing...Looks strange to us on the east coast !!!
Isn't lane filtering OK in some East Coast states?
@@aka_pierre It's legal in California.
@@TommyAngelo1337 I'm aware, but, for example, I don't think that there's a law that explicitly says that you can't lane filter (i.e., move to the front during a red light) in some East Coast states.
@@aka_pierre not in Florida or Georgia they will pull you over so fast for filtering or splitting
I live in WI and it looks dangerous as hell!
I do like the 60/70s styled machines, and this one has a really nice, smooth rumble.
Nice review on a cool bike. Only wish we could’ve seen the other side of this motorcycle. Hopefully in future videos. Thanks Adam 😃
"There's no performance advantage to the tower shaft..." Not so. The beveled-gear tower shaft cam drive preserves cam timing. Cam timing deteriorates as the cam chain wears and lengthens which hurts performance. The tower shaft is an expensive design. Props to Kawasaki for implementing it on this bike.
Well said. As the son of a master machinist I cringed when I heard that nonsense about the bevel drive being purely an aesthetic feature.
nah, the poster is correct there is NO performance advantage, with a chain drive the chain stretch is taken up AFTER drive, on the slack side, this does NOT affect the valve timing in any way. The main difference is a whiney double bevel gear noise versus a slightly rattly chain drive. Cam timing doesn't change with the chain, same as the bevel gear (I love both for nostalgic reasons) - For information the overhead cam bevel gear drive is copied from the Manx Norton and worked well in racing, the rest of the W800 engine is copied from the BSA A7 500 twin with some modernisations, all good!
My Kawasaki dealer has two 2019 new W800s and is asking $6800 for them. That sounds like a winner at that price!
They’ve got them for 6000 now !
Did you end up getting one?
@@johns1139 I did not. Now I wish I did. Lol
Sharp presentation! I saw one at the dealership last week. The bike is basically medium size and is visually very appealing!!! Anyone would be proud to have one!!! Compared to the naked standards today, it is much better looking!!!😎
My first new Kawasaki was a 1970 350 A7 Avenger which had 40ish horsepower . My last new Kawasaki was a 2013 1400 ZX1400R which was tweaked to 200 horsepower. The new one was better in every measurable way but sometimes way way better can mean less fun. If I had to choose which of the two I could have back the A7 would win for me.
Oh yeah my point was you don't need monster horsepower to have a great time.
I'd rather ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slowly. It whatever that saying is.
This bike is awesome! And just to add to the history part, the W1 was not just based on a BSA, its actually an exact mechanical copy! Kawasaki purchased a factory that had a license to build the BSA, and that license transferred to Kawasaki.
Zack is a tough act to follow but you're doing amazingly well, Adam! You guys are a major inspiration for my channel, especially in terms of script and presenting (in terms of video quality and scenery I think I have you beat😁). Keep up this great work!
Man, where do you live? That's a gorgeous city! Your videos are great, but you lack Adam's amazing hair😋
@@ritaamorim5455 LOL, that I definitely do! It's Lisbon.
I bought mine and just love this bike great and fun to ride .
What other choices did you hand in mind? I like the Honda CB1100 and the BMW R Nine T, too.
Harley or triumph,but this one caught my attention it’s just fun to ride cheers
whats the top speed?
@@STIjojoSTI A respectable 110 mph. "My H2 Kawi does 225, I lost my licence . . . now I don't ride"
Wild handlebars. I prefer the standard W800.
I bet it's more reliable than a Triumph.
I thought I'd miss the last chap, but I don't now. Adam is doing a great job.
Kawasaki made a direct copy of the BSA back then! Only oiltight and with an electrical system that worked properly. This bike is also available in Europe. A retro, heavy, loweffect and expencive bike. And they sell like bread! :-) I tested the Royal Enfield 650 which I would chose between the two.
It seems odd that the fairing is not the same color as the rest of the bike, but the instrument panel does look like it's winking at you. I like the return to a classic appearance of bikes as it makes them prettier than the modernistic designs with their sharp angles and futuristic features. Enough tech exists in the classic-looking bikes too.
I would take the fairing off, it looks nicer without it
I’ve been eyeing this ride for awhile. I may make pick one of the up this summer.
I like that you didn't give this thing a negative review. I rode my local dealer's W800 cafe because I have had my W650 since 2001 and had to see the differences. The W800 only has like 45hp compared to the 49ish of my 650. Somehow due to environmental regulations and fuel injecting it, the bigger bore doesn't get you anything. My W650 feels just a tad quicker, but the W800 definitely rides smoother, especially at 60mph. The W800 pulls up a hill a bit better. The bikes are so similar though and I was happy to feel the soul of the W800 has not changed from the W650. I had a 2015 Triumph Scrambler and it was a better bike in every way at a lower price. I have no idea how Kawasaki intended to sell these with the new Triumphs sitting next to them. My dealership sells Kawasaki and Triumph and I doubt they'll ever find a new owner for this bike without a steep discount. It was priced at 7700 dollars when I rode it. I'd LOVE to have it, but it makes no sense, sitting next to my W650. It's a great bike, but needs the right weirdo to be the buyer when Triumph and Royal Enfields exist in the same market.
Love this new format. Good work guys
I think it’s one of the all time best looking but the price vs performance just isn’t there... but I still want one.!
I have the 'old' W 800 and it's a good solid commuter and fun bike. 100% reliable. It's more British than fish and chips even though it's made in Japan :-) ''very durable'' agree 100% the brakes on my 2014 model is basic, but you're never going to be going too fast anyway.
great vid on another awesome retro bike, nice casual style Adam, keep it up man! cheers
Good review! I have a 2014 W800 which I just love. The model has been around in Europe since around 2011 (in EURO3 form). It disappeared for a year or two while Kawasaki worked on a EURO4 version (ABS, cleaner emissions, etc.) and reappeared this year. Glad it's now available on your side of the pond. I reckon the EURO3 models look nicer but I'm biased! If you care about authenticity, the W650s/W800s are usually considered more so than Triumphs which, I guess, are completely new designs with a Triumph badge from company unrelated to the original Triumph factory stuck on them.
@@pauld.b7129 You're right - Kawasaki got a license to make their W1 based on the BSA A7. You'd have a hard time telling them apart from some angles! That's funny with the Harleys - so those tubes are purely for decoration? They do look nice, I have to say. But at least the bevel drive on with W800 does something! :)
You're right about the EURO3 models looking better. Those things would have SOLD in the U.S. back then. I'm afraid these new W800s might not sell too well here, but I could be wrong.
@@havok531 Yeah, with the Royal Enfields aiming at the cheaper market segment and Triumph being seen as a premium product, I'd be a little worried that the W800 will get got in no-man's land between the two...unless that turns out to be a segment in it's own right.
@@pauld.b7129 What are talking about, those are push rod tubes on the Harley. Not just decoration. Love my Glide but due to health problems I want to get a much lighter classic style bike. This is at the top of my list of Triumph T100 and T120, Motor Guzzi, and Royal Enfield Interceptor.
@@dermur68 No, the push rod tubes are push rod tubes. Not just decoration.
I just sold mine. Great bike in every sense except the bars ARE too low and impossible to replace them cheaply. Kawasaki quoted $1800 plus labor for higher bars, cables and electricals. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. Get the great looking 2020 road version if you have any doubts about the low bars. Also would be nice if they added a 6 speed box.
Been waiting for a ride review of this beautiful motorcycle. Saw one in person and was impressed, but without a test ride or a rider's report.
Came close to a Triumph Street Cup last year but it fell through... maybe a blessing in disguise? I'll have my eyes peeled for one of these here in Canada. Great review.
I'm into the retro bikes too. I'm going to test ride a 2018 Triumph T120 later this week.
I might be buying one thanks for the review very informative! Currently have a 77' KZ400 cafed out but GOD am i getting tired of these old bike problems lol.
Waiting for Adam's review of the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650
I scrolled down here to make exactly that comment.
*Rolls eyes* Indian bikes?
@@Supernova12034 WTH do you have against Indian bikes? The motorcycling culture there is one of the best in the world.
@@mpsangha it's not even close to one of the best in the world.
culture
Good review Adam! Very informative and I enjoyed watching it! :)
Props for talking through the video while riding. I can barely chew bubble gum and talk to myself while riding.
Interesting video for sure, and I have plenty of friends who love the W's.
Maybe it's just me, but could we get closer with the camera on the walk-around, and have the chest mount camera show a bit more of the road? Must be the biker in me...want to see the road, not the tank.
Waiting for the continental gt-650 mc commute, just got mine yesterday and have been loving every minute.
So if you want an authentic vintage parallel twin experience with out heartache buy a Kawasaki.
For sure. Let the good times roll!
Great bike but doesn't have the feel of a well sorted Norton Commando 850.
@@splodge5714
Nor the expense.
@@splodge5714 The Kawi you can ride, the Norton you can fix.
When ever I hear about history
I will be in love with the classics
This thing is beautiful.
Thanks for the review it was fun to watch
Adam, You are the new King here !
Im a fan of the Kawasaki W800 as its a great size bike for many applications. I own a Kawasaki w650 2001 and I must say the build quality and general proportions seem better on the 650. The tank on the 800 seems bulbous and less shapely and rear light and plastic cover on the bevel drive are disappointing. I also own a Cb1100 and the quality there is again very good.
Having said all this Im a great advocate of ride what you like and not what someone else does. There is always someone out there that will dislike what you ride. Buy a 70s MZ, great bikes for rough roads and take pride in dividing opinion. The only bad bike is the wrong bike for the job!
I rode a seventies MZ from Chester to Croydon; faultless bike, much under appreciated. I did the trip for a friend that needed the bike transferring. At the time I rode an A65 BSA, the MZ was a great ride👍🏽
Another retro in spidered motorcycle. Lol
No, it is not retro inspired at all. Its a modern classic, a timeless machine, the quintessential childs drawing of a motorcycle. It has been around in europe for quite a while, started out as a w650. Absolutely adoreable. Price tag is ok, regarding this models dont go down in value a lot
@@MikeBikeOriginal The guy literally said retro IN SPIDERED. Spidered.
It went whoosssh over your head.
Plus obviously it is very clearly retro inspired.
@@MikeBikeOriginal dude just stop
OK, get it *lecture mode off*
This is a good video and good review, thanks Adam
👍🇬🇧
Kawasaki is all about quality...quality engineering, quality build, quality parts....are you listening Triumph?
I miss the kickstarter from the W650
Thanks for an honest review.
I'm more interested in the "standard" version of the W800 (not the cafe). Maybe they'll come to the US next year. Nice review.
Hold your thumb up to the screen and block the plastic they threw up front. Slow, bad suspension, matches a handbag.
All you need is a couple of wrenches and a $75 handlebar, and you'll have the standard version. It'll take about 30 minutes to make that change. Certainly shouldn't be a deal breaker...
And the standard version is coming for 2020! I much prefer it to the Cafe too.
I really like these bikes. I already have the z900rs, so getting the w as well is hard to justify.
How I wish that Suzuki gave me the analog gauges on their SV650X, I absolutely HATE the digital gauges on a bike that’s supposedly a “cafe racer”
How about the triumph speed twin next?
Patrick F. Games II looking forward to that as well, oooooh yeah!
triumph sucks.....everyone knows..that why the Japanese.brand.outsell the unreliable.and heavy triumph bikes.....
Good honest review!
Glad Adam is still in the business.
Great looking bike!
I would have loved the chrome W800 fenders of the regular model on the Z900rs bike to complete that one's retro look.
The street version of this looks so much better imo. Especially with that café front being a different color than the tank. It looks like an afterthought. Plus from the front it makes the headlight look absolutely huge and disproportionate.
People love retro stuff. And it's not this "hipster" thing, it's simply that the older, the better. The stuff they made back then were, at least in terms of styling, a thousand times better than the edgy modern bullshit we have now.
How does this compare to it's direct competition, the much cheaper Royal Enfield GT650? Engine vibes? Gear ratios? The Royal Enfield is super smooth with an overdrive 6th. From what I read, the INT650 Royal Enfield makes exactly 46hp at the rear wheel, as well.
Great review Adam.
That's a cool bike but I wished there was a spokeless option.
Those power and torque figures are shocking too
Yes, spoke less and more colours!!
It's less retro inspired and more like they just never stopped making the bike. The W650, and then W800 never went way, they just wern't available in the states for a long time.
I just rode out of the dealership on this bike, $8500 out the door. Just had to wait a few years for prices to drop for this bike to be worth it 😂
Wow cause I just found one brand new listed for $5999 @ a dealership. I'm about to jump all over this for that price.
@@jemhidiahssj4114 hell yes dude get it. My list price was 6700, but it was 85 after taxes and fees and all that bs.
Kawasaki managed to be both a few years too early (W650) and a few years too late (W800 finally arrives in the States with a zillion Bonnevilles sold).
They put out some nice W800s over the years in Europe. Too little too late for me. I will look at the Continental GT as soon as I can.
pechorin1975 - seems strangeenough {I agree}
The W650 has been around forever. Meguro K series was an actual licensed BSA A7. They went bankrupt and Kawasaki came in and purchased the tooling and the machinery. Meguro became the Kawasaki W650 and well BSA went out of business. So yeah it's British in design.
Kawasaki brought us their retro bike in 1999. So they have been in the retro scen for a while. In 1999 The bike had a 650cc engine.
Was waiting for your right hand to slip off the grip! Stay safe.
Good review, I have the 2020 street and on a ride out with my next door neighbour who has an old 1100 ZZR he says when he rides behind me it sounds like a 'real' bike.
Reminds me a lot of the KZ400 I had in the late 70s.
I would have thought $7500 tops for this.
See one up close, the build quality is 1st rate, the engine is a work of art. I thought the same thing at 1st.
In terms of performance, I agree with the $7500 comment, but aesthetically it's probably worth the $$$ if that's what's important to someone.
@@Cheezmonka Have you ridden one? It and the W800 Street and Classic are much smoother and faster than I thought they would be.
They are going for that now lol
I can get a brand new 2019 for a bit less than $6k...... thoughts?
Where that's cheap
Here in the philippines, its $11,000
I would buy it at that price , park it in my garage to look at it!
So smooth on off throttle? How about vibes at freeway speeds? I want a comfy bike to just go for a ride on? What about compared to the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650?
"Sorry guys, I broke the speed limit. I hope you don't tell anyone on me."🤣 Seriously what the hell happened to this comment section? Biggest pack of stodgy old curmudgeons I have ever seen online. I didn't know you people even knew how to internet.
well.. it just look beautiful.
Excellent and informative! Well done.
One of these is selling on the used market it my area for under $6000. I’m picking it up today
This is an investment bike. You don’t buy it to make money, you buy it to ride it until you grow old....
dude ..the W650 was the FIRST retro-cycle from Kaw
W650 was what started the retro craze way back in 1999. The outgoing 2011-2018 W800 is a completely different model to the 2019 version.
Picking up a 2020, new, this week. $6800 W/ Warrenty. Only one in my state. 😊
How's it going Mate. How do you think this compared to the Gt 650 Royal? Maybe a comparison video?
Good and fair, informative, thanks
Hi Adam..what would you buy with your own money? I am looking for a fun bike and I don’t go off road. So many choices. Fun to ride including being nimble. And a good or fixable on off throttle response. Thanks. One of the only options I’ve been able to get a test ride on recently was a 2016 GSX-S1000Z which I found surprisingly nimble and it was fun. Any others. Can be smaller or same size, etc..what would you get?
Just bought one of these for 5999 leftover old stock of 2019
Congrats on the bike.
That’s an amazing deal on great bike
@@bradleyb9003 Agreed, thanks!
46hp out of a 776? Yikes.
I'm riding a 1982 kz750 spectre that's good for another 20hp from the factory.
Keep in mind that not only it's supposed to feel retro, but it's also a "relaxed" engine. I suspect the KZ 750 is much more high performance than the W.
Compression on that thing is 8,4:1 to it's really really tame, it must be torquey enough though.
@@Arthurzeiro my 82 is only ~8.5ish as well.
those numbers are deliberate for licensing and insurance reasons in Europe.. the RE 650 also has 47 HP for that specific reason
Plenty of torque from 2500rpm
Yeah everyone is complaining about the price(i did too at first). It has the
look t-100/120 with the but price point of the Street twin after you add some cafe'
parts. Yeah it has 127cc less but like he said they sold all the Zr900z cafe and they cost even more than the Street cup. I have been waiting for this for a bit. And hope it does well........and they give more color options.
A bit pricey for what you get but still a nice bike.
Looks great, Waiting for the 1200.
Why wait for Kawasaki? Triumph is already there.
Nice review. W800 looks good, but i prefer the new RE continental GT for the retro class. Its much cheaper too.
Just got one of these, nice bike.
The only Kawasaki I’ve owned was a Z1 and I’ve never had a bike that was so expensive to keep on the road. The lilies rotted out, it went through sprockets, chains and tires like there was no tomorrow.
I think a z650rs would have been a smarter move on their part (and a z400rs to match)
Nicholas Arceri Kawi has those bikes. They are called Zephyr 400, 550 and 750, they just don’t sell them outside of Japan. Inline 4 goodness for Kawi is a forbidden fruit.
I think Adam meant the T100 Bonneville or Street Cup rather than the Thruxton. They are specced at about 55hp, and the Street Cup is almost exactly the same price (at least here in Oz). The T120 and Thruxton are in a different class and priced accordingly. The street cup is cheaper than the T100 Bonneville, but looks it. I have to say that the W800 looks more authentically retro than the Street Cup though (at least the older ones did, I haven't seen this cafe variant), especially in the finer details. I'm not hugely into the modern retro thing (although I love old bikes), they remind me of the current trend in retro/"vintage" kitchen appliances. Pastel coloured plastics aren't going to make your microwave dinner a nostalgic experience.
Great review of a sweet retroesque bike. In a couple of years my 02 ZZR1200 will fall into the classic bike realm, carbbed Inline four with character galore.
Wish we could split lanes in Ct. Probably cause a lot of road rage out here people are way too uptight as it is.